Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Sourdough focaccia made with discard is an easy and delicious way to use your discard and still eat great bread. With its golden, crispy edges, soft and airy texture, and irresistible olive oil flavor, this easy no-knead bread is a must-have for weeknight dinners, sandwiches, or snacking.
Using sourdough discard gives this focaccia a subtle tang, adding depth of flavor without extra effort. And the best part? It requires minimal hands-on time, making it an effortless way to bake fresh, homemade bread.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy and forgiving: This easy sourdough discard focaccia recipe is perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike. It’s forgiving and doesn’t require complex techniques.
- Uses sourdough discard: It’s a fantastic way to use up your sourdough discard, reducing waste and adding complex flavor to your bread.
- Crispy & soft: Golden on the outside, fluffy on the inside.
- Same-Day Bake: Unlike many sourdough recipes, you can enjoy this focaccia on the same day you make it, thanks to the addition of instant yeast.
One of the best things about this sourdough discard focaccia is how it balances flavor and convenience. Traditional sourdough focaccia relies solely on wild yeast, requiring a long fermentation time to develop its signature tang and airy texture. While delicious, it can take 12 hours or more to make.
This recipe, however, combines sourdough discard for flavor with instant yeast for a faster rise, cutting the total time down to just 2 ½ hours. You still get that deep, slightly tangy taste from the discard, but the instant yeast speeds up the process— meaning you can enjoy freshly baked focaccia the same day!
How to make focaccia with discard
Here is a brief overview of how to make this recipe for planning purposes. For the full set of directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Mix dough. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the ingredients and mix until combined and a cohesive dough forms.
- Stretch and Folds. With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough upwards and fold it toward the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat on each side for a total of four sets of stretch and folds.
- Proofing. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of the dough and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size.
- Shape the dough. Coat the bottom of a pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the pan and with oiled hands, press the dough out. Use your fingers to dimple the dough. Sprinkle rosemary and salt on top.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Storage and reheating
Storage: Once cooled, store the focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, slice it, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: For room temperature or refrigerated focaccia, reheat it in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes until it is warmed through and crispy. From frozen, thaw it at room temperature, then reheat as above, or reheat it directly from frozen in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Love this discard focaccia recipe? Also try making sourdough focaccia without instant yeast! It is so easy and a great beginner sourdough bread to make. And don’t forget my sweet varieties, too! Sourdough chocolate focaccia is a dream, and sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia is soooo sweet!
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this recipe, please link to the post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thank you so much for supporting me. XOXO – Jenni
Sourdough Discard Focaccia
Ingredients
Method
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine all dough ingredients.
- Mix with the dough hook on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-low and mix for 2-3 minutes until a cohesive dough forms.
- With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough upwards and fold it toward the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat on each side for a total of four sets of stretch and folds.
- Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the dough and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours, until it doubles in size.
- Coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. With clean, oiled hands, gently press and stretch the dough to reach the corners of the pan. If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5-10 minutes and try again.
- Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface, and then use your fingertips to create deep dimples all over the dough. Press firmly but gently to create little pockets where the oil will gather.
- Cover and allow to rise for an additional 1-2 hours, until almost doubled in size.
- Drizzle an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface, and then create deep dimples with your fingertips. Sprinkle rosemary and flaky salt over it (if using).
- Preheat your oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle position.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and its internal temperature reaches 200°F.
- Optional: For an extra crispy crust, place a pan with 1 cup of hot water on the bottom rack during baking.
- Remove the bread from the oven. Optional: Brush it with an additional tablespoon of olive oil for a softer crust.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice your sourdough discard focaccia bread and enjoy! It’s perfect on its own, with olive oil for dipping, or alongside a meal.
